Doctrine of election, Part 3. The Election of Christ
Scripture References, Word & Phrase descriptions: the “Logos Reftagger” scripture links are hover pop-up active, meaning the scripture reference will just pop-up if you hover your cursor over it (don’t click on the link, just hover your cursor over it), when finished reading, hover your cursor off the scripture reference link. If the Reftagger pop-up doesn’t show all the verses, left click on the “More” button in the Reftagger pop-up window and it will take you to the online bible. If RefTagger pop-ups don’t work on your computer, that’s OK, try right clicking the link then open in new tab or window; or if that doesn’t work, you can always use your Bible to look up the verses. Word or Phrase definition links may not have a website that opens.
Prepare yourself for learning the Word of God!
Before we begin, if you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (that is; you have believed [trusted] in Him for His promised gift of eternal life), it is important to prepare yourself to learn God's Word so take a moment to name, cite or acknowledge (confess) your sins privately to God (i.e.; with your thoughts directed only to God the Father).
1 John 1:9 says: "If we confess our sins, He (God) is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (known sins) and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [unknown or forgotten sins]." NKJV (New King James Version) [italics added]; we call this REBOUND, read the full doctrine as to “why” we need to use 1 John 1:9 to grow spiritually. REBOUND
If you have never personally believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah, as your Savior (that is, believed in Him for eternal life), the issue for you is not to name your sins; the issue for you is to simply exercise faith alone in Jesus Christ alone for eternal life; when you do, you will instantly receive Eternal Life: John 3:16, 5:24, 6:47, 20:30, 31.
John 6:47 says: "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me [Jesus Christ] has everlasting life." NKJV [italics added]
Notice again what Jesus said in John 6:47: "…he who believes in Me (Jesus Christ) has everlasting life." It doesn't say, "will have"; it says, "has." Therefore, the very moment you believe in Jesus Christ for His promise of everlasting life, you have it (it's really just that simple; nothing more and nothing less), and it can never be taken away from you (John 10:28-29). Furthermore, the gift (Ephesians 2:8c) of everlasting life (also called eternal life in scripture) is available to every human being; there are absolutely no exceptions.
John 3:14-15, 16, 17, 18, says: "14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. 18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." NKJV
Let us now bow our hearts and take a moment to prepare for worship and learning God's Word. If there is any known sin in your life, this is the time to just cite it privately to God the Father with your thoughts directed towards Him. With your head bowed and your eyes closed, you have total privacy in your mind and soul:
Study to show yourself approved to God!
Grace Bible Church
Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries
The Tree of Life is a weekly teaching summary:
God’s Word is taught Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
God’s Word is taught Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
STUDY TITLE:
Doctrine of election, Part 3. The Election of Christ
We are now ready for our fourth point in the Doctrine of Election.
Point 1. Introduction and Introduction and Definition.
Point 2. There are Three Elections in history.
1. Israel under the ritual plan of God.
2. Christ under the incarnation plan of God.
3. The Church under the pre-designed plan of God.
Israel was elected under the ritual plan of God, Deut 7:6, Isa 45:4.
The Lord Jesus Christ was elected under the incarnation plan of God, Isa 42:1; Matt 12:18.
The Church was elected under the pre-designed plan of God, Col 3:12.
Notice that each Election had its own unique plan. And, it is interesting to note that each election brought a new category of species into history.
For example, the election of Israel brought in the new racial species, the Jew.
This is one of the main reasons why there are problems in the Middle East.
Then the election of Christ which brought in the hypostatic union, the unique one, the Son of God who was undiminished deity and true humanity in one person forever.
Jesus Christ is eternal God and therefore different from humanity.
Jesus Christ is true humanity and therefore different from eternal God.
The election of the Church brought in the new spiritual species, the Church or Royal Family of God.
This is called the new creature in the Bible.
2Co 5:17, Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
Gal 6:14-16, But may it never be that I should boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither is circumcision anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. And those who will walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.
Point 3 dealt with The Election of Israel.
Israel was elected under the ritual plan of God and became the first client nation to God in human history in 1441 BC. A client nation is a national entity under the patronage of God, assigned the responsibility for the formation, preservation, communication, and fulfillment of the canon of Scripture.
Before Israel became a nation, custodianship of the word of God involved divine revelation apart from Scripture, such as dreams especially noted in the book of Genesis. But since Israel has become a nation, it, as a nation, is involved in the authorship, custodianship and dissemination of the written Word.
In the Jewish age in the Old Testament, and in the Tribulation period, and the Millennium, there is an election of born-again Jews.
Isa 45:3-4, “And I will give you the treasures of darkness, And hidden wealth of secret places, in order that you may know that it is I, The Lord, the God of Israel, who calls you by your name. For the sake of Jacob My servant, And Israel My elected one, I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me.”
There will be no client nation during the Tribulation because of the removal of the mature believers of the Church-age, but there will be client nation function through an international pivot of 144,000 Jews, according to Rev 7 and 14.
Matt 24:21-22, talks about Israel in the Tribulation period of only seven years “Because of the elected ones [144,000], those days will be cut short.”
Isa 65:9 refers to the Jewish elect in the Millennium.
Isa 65:9, “And I will bring forth offspring from Jacob [this is the elect of Israel], And an heir of My mountains from Judah; Even My elected ones shall inherit it, And My servants shall dwell there.
So, election to privilege is an issue to the Jew. However, every Jewish nation depended upon its percentage of mature believers. The principle was this: As goes the believer so goes the nation.
Jesus Christ was very clearly revealed to the Jews in the Old Testament. Therefore, those who believed in Christ had an election and a plan. And wherever you have an election and a plan, that adds up to having a destiny.
An election from God, plus a plan from God, equals a destiny from God. And as we are going to see you all have a destiny from God. And if you don’t understand that you have a calling on your life and that you have been elected, and as a part of your calling and election, you have a personal sense of destiny, then you have no idea why you are here and what part you play in the PPOG.
And if you think your calling is ordinary then you don’t understand, because it is extraordinary, and therefore you lose out on the purpose of election and how God willed His highest and best for you.
Point 4. The unique election of history: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Our Lord Jesus Christ was elected under the salvation plan of God. In eternity past, the omniscience of God programmed the decrees regarding the hypostatic union of Jesus Christ.
Under the principle of election TLJC [the Lord Jesus Christ] was the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world, Acts 2:23; Acts 4:27-28.
Acts 2:22-23, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
Acts 4:27-28, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Thy holy servant Jesus, whom Thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, predestined to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose occur.
In Rev 13:8 the Lord Jesus Christ was the lamb that was slain before the foundation of the earth, meaning His life was planned and He was elected or chosen to die as a part of the thoughts of the Trinity in eternity past.
Again His election is described for us in Isa 42:1, “Behold, My servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations.
Matt 12:18, “Behold, My servant whom I have chosen; My beloved in whom My soul is well pleased; I will put My Spirit upon him, and he shall proclaim justice to the gentiles.
Luk 9:35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “this is My son, My chosen one; listen to him!”
And so, our Lord’s Impeccability, the Cross, The Resurrection, Ascension and Session are all printouts of the divine decree as a part of His Election.
Christ was elected in eternity past; and His Election was fulfilled through the virgin pregnancy. As a result of the first advent, Jesus Christ, as the God-man, seated at the right hand of God the Father controls history, both angelic and human (Heb 1:3).
The election of Christ is the basis for the other two elections, (Israel and the Church). The election of Christ is the basis for His savior-hood. He is the only way of salvation (Acts 4:12).
He was qualified to be the Savior by His Impeccability, Heb 7:26, For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens;
Without the ascension and session of Christ, there would be no Royal Family to act as the pivot. Therefore, all history focuses on the person of Jesus Christ.
Like our election, the election of Jesus Christ was impossible without logistical grace support provided for Him. This is why the Bible says that He grew in wisdom and stature.
He had to grow just like everyone of us!
So, Election is closely related to logistics. Logistical grace support allows you to fulfill your election to privilege by becoming a spiritual champion or an invisible hero. So never think of election without realizing the importance of logistics.
Logistics is a military application referring to the military science of supply, provision, and planning of troop movement. God has promised that He will supply everything our Lord would need and everything we would need to fulfill our life.
Logistics is also the provision, movement, and maintenance of all resources and services necessary to sustain military forces. We are soldiers for Christ who is the ultimate warrior of the Christian life. Logistics involves the national economic capacity and the nation’s capability to support its military forces. Just like Heaven supported our Lord as He fulfilled His election, Heaven promises to support us as we fulfill our election
Logistics is also defined as the military science of planning, handling, and implementation of personnel under every possible military condition. Therefore, logistics is a technical military term for sustaining troops in every form of military activity and maneuver, i.e., in the barracks, in the field, in the battle, before the battle, and after the battle.
Spiritually then Logistical grace is defined as divine planning, divine support, divine provision, and divine blessing for the execution of the PPOG [predesigned plan of God] by the Royal family for the fulfillment of God’s will, purpose, and plan for your life.
And here’s a very important principle concerning the proper utilization of logistics which delights God the Father. The Cross was the ultimate in logistical support. Jesus Christ was sustained and kept alive until all sins could be borne by Him (Heb 9:14).
Had logistical support been withdrawn, there would be no salvation for us.
1Pe 2:4-10, And coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected by men, but choice [or the chosen one] and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
For this is contained in Scripture: “Behold I lay in Zion a choice stone [and elected stone], a precious corner stone, And he who believes in Him shall not be disappointed.” This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, “The stone which the builders rejected, This became the very corner stone,” and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
So, understanding logistics as a part of election is very vital for us all.
When you understand that God has provided everything you will ever need to fulfill His plan of election for you, you will have a tremendous amount of confidence.
Heb 10:35-38, Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance or patience, so that when you have done the will of God [execute the PPOG = the predesigned plan of God], you may receive what was promised [escrow blessing for time]. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith [by means of pistis or doctrine, that which is believed]; and if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
Point 5. The Election of the Church.
All Church-age believers must understand what election is all about!
This is why the apostle Paul said in 1Th 1:4, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice or His election of you;
Election is a doctrine that you must know and understand if you’re ever going to fulfill the plan of God for your life. And the Greek verb for to know is eidotes which is the perfect tense means that you should know fully and be able to recognize completely what election really means and how it relates to God’s plan for your life.
We are also told that we have been elected to operate in the Royal family honor code, Col 3:12, “Dress yourselves, therefore, as elected ones belonging to God, separated ones, having been loved, dress yourself with the affections of grace compassions, kindness, humility, gentleness”
To understand your election, you must function under the Royal family honor code. The wealth in eternity is forever and ever and ever. It is conveyed at the judgment seat of Christ completely. The first conveyance or the down payment occurs in time as a transfer of phenomenal spiritual wealth and blessings! Spiritual capacity or maturity is needed to taste these blessings.
However, the second conveyance occurs at the Judgment seat of Christ! And it will be staggering to the winner at that time!
We call it crowns, decorations, and rewards, but those descriptions do not even begin to describe the fantastic things that God has elected every single one of us to have. The principle is simple. Because all of us have a free-will, there will be great differences among believers in heaven forever and ever.
Of course, it will be fantastic to even be there in heaven, and that will be about all the consolation some believers will ever have, they’ll be there. But, the concepts rich and poor are simply a description of the difference which will exist between winners and losers, those who have shame and those who do not! And why do they have shame?
1Co 15:34, Become sober minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.
The command to stop sinning is not a reference to sinless perfection but a reference to the fact that when believers lack knowledge it is a shame and sinful. Self motivation in the spiritual life avoids shame at the Judgment Seat of Christ. 2Ti 2:15, “Study to present yourself approved by God, a workman who does not need to be ashamed [at the Judgment seat of Christ], handling accurately the word of truth.”
The importance of fellowship with God in time to avoid shame at the judgment seat of Christ is brought out in
1Jo 2:28, “And now my children, keep abiding in Him, that if He should appear [Rapture], we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame in His presence [Judgment seat of Christ].
Therefore, to avoid shame at the judgment seat of Christ the believer must use the grace assets of his invisible assets. You and you alone are the only one who can live your spiritual life; no one else can live it for you. By living your spiritual life you avoid shame at the judgment seat of Christ.
The issue that everyone of us must face is whether or not we are you going to be rich or poor in time and whether or not we are going to be rich or poor in eternity. By rich or poor, I am speaking in relationship to spiritual matters. And in eternity it is a disgrace to be poor, though the disgrace is only momentary and filled with regrets at the Judgment seat of Christ.
Remember that 1sa 2:7 says, “The Lord makes poor and rich”
And under election, the Lord has willed for everyone of us to be rich.
Prov 10:22, “It is the blessing of the Lord that makes rich”,
2Co 8:9, For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.
Rev 2:9, ‘I know your tribulation and your poverty (but you are rich, this is true ), and the blasphemy by those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
Rev 3:17-18, Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and {that} the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.”
There will be perfect happiness in heaven, there will be perfect contentment, but there will also be millions of believers who suffered loss of rewards. Therefore, the loss of rewards will be a sign that you were a “loser in time.”
Because of your eternal poverty, and I mean “poverty compared to the winners, you will lack the richness that God elected you to have.”
Spiritual blessings in time go to the rich and poor. Do not think of spiritual blessings in the monetary realm. Some are in the monetary realm, some are not! But, when we get into eternity, it isn’t a monetary realm at all, it is something far beyond that!
The very fact that the believer is in eternal life in Heaven, in a resurrected body, in and of itself indicates a very important fact, that grace saved him and put him there. He is not in the lake of fire where he would be screaming forever and ever. He is in Heaven in a resurrected body! And, that same grace that saved him is the same grace that could have made him great. The fact is that all some believers will have to show for there time on this earth is a resurrected body and perfect happiness. And it is an awesome thought to realize how you can miss the boat! And what’s even more awesome to me is to realize how many people in our own ministry have missed the boat!
2Pe 1:11, for in this way an abundance shall be supplied to you at the entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The eternal kingdom tells us to whom the kingdom belongs, it belongs to the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The following link is to a good news message describing how one can receive eternal life: Ticket to Heaven, it was written for anyone not absolutely certain about their eternal future.
Loved this message... It really spoke to me
ReplyDelete